


Eternal Coward

by Zyzzyva



Series: My Name is Brutus [2]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, I suppose, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, implied suicidal ideation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:20:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27912181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zyzzyva/pseuds/Zyzzyva
Summary: Schlatt is pure power, or so he tells himself.
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity & Jschlatt, Jschlatt & Wilbur Soot
Series: My Name is Brutus [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2020157
Comments: 7
Kudos: 79





	1. Weakness

**Author's Note:**

> i woke up out of a dead sleep & started writing this so take it as you will.

Schlatt is a powerful man.

He’s a powerful man when he shows up, wins an election, and enacts his first deeds within hours, winning the popular vote by one fucking percent.

He’s a powerful man when he steals Wilbur’s cabinet on his first day.

He’s a powerful man when he appoints Tubbo his right-hand man while his friends look on. He’s a powerful man when he welcomes Fundy with open arms while his father watches, and he’s a powerful man when he sneers.

He’s a powerful man when they “don’t take Ls.”

He’s a powerful man as he stands and watches Fundy burn the flag.

He’s a powerful man when the walls come down, when he opens Manburg to everyone, when he allows anyone in. He’s a powerful man when Manburg flourishes. 

He’s a powerful man when he and Quackity rule with an iron fist. When they raise taxes however and whenever they feel according to their whims. 

He’s a powerful man when he has Tubbo decorate his funeral.

He’s a powerful man at the festival when he flaunts his strength, when he shows the consequences of treason, when he commands Technoblade, and even more when the man follows his order with only a hint of hesitance. 

He’s a powerful man when he sees the borderline fear in all of their faces, when he gazes out over the remains of the festival and remembers where he started.

He’s a powerful man when he remembers where he came from, when he remembers that he has come from chaos, and that is where he will always stay.

He’s a powerful man when he knows that it’s going to burn, when he accepts the course of his life. He’s a powerful man when he doesn’t grapple with the future.

He’s a powerful man when even after everyone has betrayed him, he holds his ground, when he stands alone.

He’s a powerful man when he fights with Quackity, when he shouts at the top of his lungs.

He’s a powerful man when he destroys the White House. 

He’s a powerful man when Quackity looks at him like he doesn’t recognize him, when he cackles and sneers and flaunts his power, and even more so when Quackity, the eternal coward, runs away.

He’s a powerful man when he gets Dream to stand with him, when he forges deals in ways reminiscent of when politics was only a dream. He’s powerful when he thinks of how far he’s come.

He’s a powerful man when he oversees a war for nothing, when he stands on a parapet and watches the destruction he’s at least mostly responsible for.

He’s a powerful man when he stands alone, surrounded on all sides by enemies and former friends, and he’s a powerful man when he’s not scared. He’s a powerful man when he looks Wilbur in the eye one final time, when he recognizes the same mania reflected, when they both know they’re only settling old scores.

He’s a powerful man when he remembers lava and water and TNT and betrayal and friendship and business.

Schlatt is a powerful man when his death is his and no one else’s, when he steals their final victory and their final closure.


	2. Power

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for posting 2 chapters at once, haha.

Schlatt is not a powerful man.

He’s not a powerful man when his knees buckle when he stands. He’s not a powerful man when his head spins and his hands shake enough that he can’t hold a goddamn pen.

He’s not a powerful man when his cabinet has to help him, when Quackity has to support him on his way to bed. 

He’s not a powerful man when he drinks to stop the shakes, when it helps him escape the fear of his inevitable demise.

He’s not a powerful man when Fundy has to pull bottles from his hands. 

He’s not a powerful man when Quackity and he shout for _hours_ , and even less when he doesn’t remember in the morning. He’s not a powerful man when his cabinet looks at him in pity, when he knows there’s one way this can end.

He’s not a powerful man when the sight of water makes him freeze, makes him press his ears flat to his head, makes him remember soft yellow and blue and the harsh feeling of drowning.

He’s not a powerful man when he kills a child, much as he may pretend. He’s not a powerful man when he defends his actions, even when he knows it’s wrong.

He’s not a powerful man when he cries in pain after the festival, the respawn exacerbating his condition, when Quackity strokes his hair and murmurs, and even less when he pretends it never happened afterward.

He’s not a powerful man when he pushes Quackity away, when he drives a weft between them far more intentionally than it may seem.

He’s not a powerful man when Dream takes pity on him, lets him forge a shitty, shitty deal.

He’s not a powerful man when all he can do is stumble into a fucking van. He’s not a powerful man when all he wants to do is drink. He’s not a powerful man when he can’t see straight, when he slumps against the wall and takes swig after swig with shaking hands, spilling more than he swallows.

He’s not a powerful man when Dream pokes his head in, stares, and leaves again, and even less when everyone comes.  
He’s not a powerful man when he hears them bickering, insulting, when he spews nonsense back. He’s not a powerful man when he singles out Fundy and Quackity, when he shouts, yells at them, and he’s not a powerful man when they shout back.

He’s not a powerful man when his heart stutters, when he gasps, when ice fills his veins and leaves him feeling frozen. He’s not a powerful man when his visions goes black and he falls on his ass. He’s not a powerful man when they call his name, as if they fucking care.

He’s not a powerful man when he stares up at the ceiling and the enemies around him, when he wonders if this is what they want.

He’s not a powerful man when he locks eyes with Wilbur and knows that there’s no other way this could have ended, that they were always going to crash and burn, twin flames that could never, ever burn together. 

Schlatt is not a powerful man when he dies alone in a room full of people, and he’s not a powerful man when he knows that there will be no funeral.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this could be way more polished but also i chewed on this all day & i'm done staring at it GYUHJNHBG

**Author's Note:**

> i have many feelings about the ram man. his character is eternally interesting to me.
> 
> here's my [ ko-fi ](https://yaoyoyoyo.tumblr.com/post/623129308189327360/i-just-finished-setting-up-a-ko-fi-please-check)!  
> here's my [ information on writing commissions ](https://yaoyoyoyo.tumblr.com/post/631112745941712896/hello-ive-finally-decided-to-officially-open)!  
> here's my [ tumblr ](https://mcin2020.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> let me know if any of the links break, and i'll do my best to fix them!  
> please leave some comments, and i'm always, always open to constructive criticism :).


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